DAILY TIMELINES IN CHURCH HISTORY: Events that occurred Today throughout the 2001 year history pertaining to the Roman Catholic Church

Historical Events in Church Annals for January 2nd:

329 A.D.

Birth of Saint Gregory of Nazianzen at Nazianzus, Cappodocia. He would go on to become a bishop and Doctor of the Church. For more on this saint, see DAILY LITURGY.

533 A.D.

Election of Pope John II as 56th successor of Peter. This Roman-born pontiff would serve for slightly over two years and would become the first Pope to change his name since Mercurius, his birth name, was the name of a pagan god. Through an edict of Atalaric the Pope would be recognized as the head of the bishops of the whole world.